What to know before you tow: Langford bylaw weighs in

A video posted on Jan. 11 and viewed more than 42,000 times in a week of a man in Langford towing a vehicle that was blocking his driveway has raised some questions about what to do, or not do if that occurs.

Lorne Fletcher, manager of community safety and municipal enforcement for the City of Langford, said that particular situation happened in a new subdivision. “You have tradespeople coming and going when the initial phases of homes are going up,” he said. “They are generally respectful, but situations arise when some homes are completed and workers may not be aware a home is occupied.”

Although Fletcher said complaints are extremely rare when no houses are occupied, they have received the odd call once owners begin to move into the new homes.

“Our recommendation is to always call bylaw, especially in that phase of the development. Most calls happen during working hours, and we can get an officer out as soon as possible. That’s always preferable to someone taking matters into their own hands. This individual could have hurt himself or caused damage to his vehicle or the vehicle he towed,” Fletcher explained. The city’s traffic bylaws are in place to address parking infractions, he noted.

The individual in this case could have parked somewhere else while the matter was addressed, or made inquiries to find the owner of the vehicle. “That’s normally what our officers would do before having a vehicle towed.”

If towing was required, bylaw officers would ensure that an experienced, licensed, insured, professional tow truck operator was dispatched, Fletcher added. “Our primary goal is to problem-solving, not issuing tickets.”

If you have issues involving parking, call 250-478-7882 during regular business hours Monday to Friday, or 250-857-0400 after hours or on weekends.